Floating wharf



April 9, 1935. H, P, ELLIOTT 1,996,955

FLOATING WHARF Filed DSC. 50, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 9, 1935. H, P, ELUOTT 1,996,955

FLOAT I NG WHARF Filed Deo. 50, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mW/W KHMMQM v u Lu Patented Apr. 9, 1935 :FLOATING WHARF. Harmonl. Elliott? Watertown, Mass. ApplicatonlDecember 30, 1933Serial No. 704,660'

13 :Claims especially those set up vby winter storms tend tol pitch, twist and 'turn thewharfin'many- 'direc` tions. It is advisableto moor the wharf in such manner that it can yield ormove at least to a certain extent in response to .the forces acting upon it so as not to imposeunduestrains on the structure of the wharf. 'Heretofore however, yany'` 15 usual -mooring means has been inadequate because the momentum of "the wharf, suddenlyapl plied -to a part of the mooring structure when .at

the end of the range of permitted movement, has ruptured-the structure. In lat least one locality,

' up to `the present' invention, no `floating wharf construction `has beendevisedfthatwould successfully resist the effectsof winterfstorms.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a floating wharf construction and` mooring means thereforev so arranged that the wharf. is:

permitted lfull freedom y'for verticalmovement and forI endwise pitching or rolling and ye'tf'is restrained against displacement jin a'gven rectum, piieferamy along theglme or attack bfy W the prevailing storm waves and currents, so that no momentum can be acquired in ysuch direction, and progressively increased resistance is opposed to the movement of the wharf in a right-angled directionso that-the momentum of the wharf isv gradually absorbed and the movement of the wharf arrested without undue strains on the mooring structure. Thus the wharf is restrained from acquiring momentum in the direction of application of the greatest [displacing forcesl there- 10' onland sidewse movement is checked `gradually so thatfall parts of the mooring structure are free from heavy strain. Y

The floating wharf of the present invention comprises a floating structure rigidly connected to thelouter end of a-strut beam, which beam. projects laterally from .the floating structure andy is anchored to suitable rigid or non-yielding.

anchorage structure located preferably on land. y The strut beam thus maintains the floating structure a denite distance offshore. The strut beam also supports or constitutes the gangplank by whichaccess from landf to the oatingwharf is provilfed.l The land end. of the strut' beam'has a Y universal. orv balll and. socket .swiyelI connection] 5t with its anchorage so that not only can the float- (Gitti-.48)

the wharf/it is 'essential thatthere shouldbe no m loose playin the connections() vthat *thel wharf can'notfgain movement by reason of -the loose connection to develop sufficient 'momentum toy wreck or rapidlywear'the connection. The floating structure also is anchored at its ends by heavy 15 cables for chains extended along lines generally' at right angles to the strut beam and which for" the most part normally lie upon the bottoman'd are' lconnected through floating memberso'r spars and lighter cablesor hawsers to the ends of the 20 fioating structure. Said cableslare so' arranged that movementof thestructure vaway from j one' of them submerges the buoy andl progressivelyV raises successive lengths ofthe heavy chain fromA the bgttomiaa'q straighteas the cable Thisa'- 25 tion` imposes a, proeressivelyjncreasine.resistance to movement of the wharf so thatthe movement' isabsorbed without Shock and undue vStrain, to, theQcebleslOrtO. the .Structure heating wharf'` sofconstructedconstitutes a further object o f30 th,e..pre.r.1t ixnfell'tiolfl-` A, further. object is4 Vgenerally to .improve the construction A0f floating .Wharvee l "Fig 'llis a front elevation of ,a floating wharf embodying the presentirwentn: f Fignzisaplan View of thewharf. t Fig.` 3,l is a section taken along line, 3-3wof Fghz. l l i. y il Y. Fig. 4 isl anenlarged plan ,view ofthe wharf. Fig. Qisaslection taken along l n"e5,'-lijof'` Fie-` 4), K' i f A Fig. `6 is an enlarged sectiontaken along line 6.-6 rOf Eig- 5.

Fig, 'Iisj'an enlarged detailvof theball-,and socketzjointof Fig. 5'.

Fig. 8'is asectiona l detail taken along line y and guard rails 52.

isarranged to be lubricated at suitable times by the wharf.

vided with a guide rail I4 thereof extended lengthwise and on the land side thereof. Said beam I0 in the middle is rigidly connected with a strut beam I6 which extends at right angles therefrom toward the shore and has braces I8 that connect intermediate parts of the strut beam with the ends of the oating beam. A hollow cylindrical float member 20 is located under the strut beam immediately at the rear of the floating beam I0 and is suitably rigidly attached to both to provide the major part of the buoyancy of the structure. The land end of the strut beam is connected to an elevated anchorage structure here shown as a cross beam 22 supported uponV the tops of upright posts 24 and serving as the outer terminus of a permanent walk or platform 26 extending to the shore.

In accordance with the present invention the strut beam I6 is connected to the anchorage beam 22 by a universal connection that is free from any harmful slackness but permits the free swinging and rocking of the beam. To this end the strut beam is connected to the anchorage by a ball and socket joint. Said joint comprises a plate v28 rigidly secured by bolts 30 to the upper face of the cross beam 22 and having in the middle thereof an upstanding boss 32 provided with a semi-circular recess or socket 34 in the middle of its upper face. The beam I6 is provided with a spindle 36 which extends generally vertical through the beam and is provided with a nut 38 at its upper end by which the beam is clamped between the nut and an enlarged shoulder 40 of the spindle under the beam. The spindle at its lower end isterminated in a ball 42 which is seated in the spherical recess 34 of the boss 32. A cover plate 44 is secured by bolts 46 to the top face of the boss and has a spheroidal seat 48 therein which also engages the ball 42 and thereby retains theball in the socket while permii-,ting it suflicient angular movement in all directions. The beam I6 forms a gangplank between the platform 26 and the floatingbeam I0 and for this purpose is provided with cleats y5I! The ball and socket joint an oil lubricant passage 54 located in the boss 32 yand terminated in a coupling 56 through which grease or other lubricant can be injected into the ball Vand socket vjoint by a grease gun 58 conveniently 'retained removably in clips secured to a guard rail. With this arrangement the floating structure is free to rise and fall with the tides and is free to twist or rotate about an axis generally parallel to the beam I6 as occurs when one 'end of the beam I0 is riding on the crest of a wave and the other end of the beam is in the trough of the wave, without imposing any unusual strains on the floating structure and also without imposing any unusual strains in the ball and socket connection between the wharf and the anchorage. The strut member also retains thev floating structure spaced from the shore, the strut member being, in general, extended in the direction from which the greatest forces strike from any harmful slackness so that there can be no movement of translation between the ball 42 and its socket andhence the wharf can not pound or hammer upon its anchorage and thus the construction is such that little effort is required to maintain the wharf in position regardless of the pitching or tilting of the wharf when subjected to heavy or choppy Waves and .cross currents. The wharf is anchored against undue sidewise Thevball and socket'joint isfree swinging movement about its pivot by cables or chains 60 and 62. These chains extend laterally in opposite directions away from the ends of the beam I0 and inwardly toward the shore line. The shore end of each chain is suitably anchored rigidly to the shore. The free end is anchored to one end of a floating member or spar 64. The other ends of the 'spars are connected by cables or hawsers 66 to attaching members 68 fixed to the opposite ends of the beam IIJ. The hawsers 66 preferably are adapted to float im the water or at least to have but little sinking effect. The chains 60, 62, spar 64, and hawsers 66 constitute mooring means for the wharf. The

spar 64. The submerging of the spar exerts somel checking effect upon the movement of the wharf. Upon further movement of the wharf, however, the links of the chain are elevated from thebottom i1- progressive order so that their weights,

are successively imposed upon the wharfv and act to check and retard its movement gradually. As the movement of the wharf increases so that the slack of the cable is taken up, the weight of the suspended portion of the cable becomes more and more effective in checking the movement ofthe wharf. It is found that with this arrangement the movement of the wharf is arrested gradually' without severe strains on the cables sufficient to rupture them. This manner of anchoring thewharf permits the free pitching and canting of l. A floating wharf comprising a floating' structure, a fixed anchorage, a rigid strut member extended between and connected with said anchorage and floating structure and maintaining saidfloating structure spaced from said anchorage, and means providing a universal connection between said strut member and said anchorage that permits said floating structure and strut member to pivot in all directions upon saidA anchorage.

2. A floating wharf comprising ay floating structure, a fixed anchorage, a rigid strut member extended between and connected with said anchorage and oating structure and maintaining said floating structure lspaced from said anchorage, means providing a universal connection between said strut member and said'anchorage that permits said floating structure and strutvmember to pivot in all directions upon said anchorage, and anchored mooring means for said floating structure connected with said structure permitting a restricted freedom of movement",

thereof and having parts operable gradually to check the movement thereof.

3. A floating wharf comprising a floating structure, a fixed anchorage, a rigid strut member extended between and connected with said anchorage and floating structure and maintaining said floating structure spaced fro-m said anchorage, means providing a universal connection between said strut member and said anchorage that permits said floating structure and strut member to pivot in all directions upon said anchorage, and mooring chains connected to opposite ends of said floating structure and extended in opposite directions therefrom and having fixed anchorages for their remote ends, said chains resting for a substantial part of their lengths upon the bottom and one or the other of which is adapted to be raised off the bottom in a progressive manner upon continued movement of said floating member in the Asame direction whereby to impose progressively increased Weight of chain to resist and thereby check the movement of said floating structure gradually.

4. A floating wharf comprising a floating structure, a fixed anchorage, a rigid strut member extended between and connected with said anchorage and floating structure and maintaining said floating structure spaced from said anchorage, means providing a universal connection between said strut member and said anchorage that permits said floating structure and strut member to pivot in all directions upon said anchorage, and mooring means for said floating structure comprising hawsers connected to opposite ends of said floating structure and extended in opposite directions therefrom, floating members sel cured to the remote ends of said hawsers, chains connected to said floating members and resting normally upon the bottom for a substantial part of their lengths and having fixed anchorages for their free ends.

5. A floating wharf comprising a floating structure, a strut rigid with said structure and extended therefrom, an anchorage, and a ball and socket connection between said anchorage and the free end of said strut which permits said floating structure and strut free pivotal movement in all directions.

6. A floating wharf comprising a floating structure, a strut rigid with said structure and extended therefrom, an anchorage, a ball and socket connection between said anchorage and the free end of said strut which permits said floating structure and strut free pivotal movement in all directions, and anchored mooring means connected with said floating structure which restricts its swinging movement sidewise of said beam.

7. A floating wharf comprising a floating structure, a strut rigid with said structure and extended therefrom, an anchorage, a ball and socket connection between said anchorage and the free end of said strut which permits said floating structure and strut free pivotal movement in all directions, anchored mooring means connected with said floating structure which restricts its swinging movement sidewise of said beam, said mooring means having a part that imposes progressively increased opposition to continued sidewise movement in the same direction.

8. A floating wharf including a floating beam,

a strut beam rigid with said floating beam and extended at right angles thereto from the middle thereof, a. fixed shore anchorage, and a ball and socket connection between said anchorage and the free end of said strut beam which opposes movement endwise of said strut beam but which permits said floating beam and strut free pivotal movement in all directions.

9. A floating wharf including a floating structure, a strut beam rigid with said floating structure and extended at right angles thereto from the middle thereof, a flxed shore anchorage, and a ball and socket connection between said anchorageand the freeend of said strut beam which opposes movement endwise of said strut beam but which permits said floating structure and strut free pivotal movement in all directions, and. means carried by said strut beam constituting a gangplank providing passage from shore to said floating structure.

10. A floating wharf including a floating beam, a strut beam rigid with said floating beam and extended at right angles thereto from the middle thereof, a hollow buoyant member for the wharf fixed under said strut beam behind said floating beam, a fixed shore anchorage, and a ball and socket connection between said anchorage and the free end of said strut beam which permits said floating beam and buoyant member free pivotalr movement in all directions.

11. A floating wharf including a floating beam, a strut beam rigid with said floating beam and extendedat right angles thereto from the middle thereof, a fixed anchorage located under the free end of said strut beam, a ball socket carried by said anchorage, and a vertical spindle fixed to said strut beam and having a ball end beneath said strut beam which is swivelled in said socket.

l2. A floating wharf including a floating beam, a strut beam rigid with said floating beam and extended at right angles thereto from the middle thereof, a fixed anchorage located under the free end of said strut beam, a ball socket carried by said anchorage, a vertical spindle fixed to said strut beam and having a ball end beneath said strut beam which is swivelled in said socket, and mooring cables fixed to opposite ends of said floating beam and extended generally endwise therefrom and having fixed anchorages for their remote ends which limit swinging movement of said beams in the general plane thereof.

13. A floating wharf including a floating beam, strut beam rigid with said floating beam and extended at right angles thereto from the kmiddle thereof, an elevated shore anchorage, a ball and socket connection between said anchorage and the free end of said beam which resists endwise movement of said strut beam but permits free pivotal movement thereof in all directions, said strut beam constituting a gangplank providing passage between shore and said floating beam, and mooring means for the ends of said floating beam comprising hawsers fixed to the ends of said floating beam and extended endwise thereof, spars HARMON P. ELLIOTT. 

